pluan
03-27-2008, 12:25 AM
The extreme hardship that I suffer of living without my husband in the United States revolves around two main factors: my poor health and the fact that I am self employed. I suffer from severe anemia of which the cause is still undiagnosed. Because I am self-employed, I cannot afford health insurance now or the travel expenses to Pakistan to see my husband.
Health
In May of 2006, I was told by a doctor to go straight to the emergency room from their office, where I was being seen for a different condition..I was diagnosed with severe anemia. ** (show paperwork) My hemoglobin count was 7.3,( normal range is between 12 and 16), and my hemocrit count was 25.1, ( normal range is between 36.0 and 48.0). As the doctor explained it to me, basically half of my blood was gone. I received a partial transfusion in the ER.
Ten days after the first incident, I was admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital. They ran several tests including a cat scan and x-rays, administered a unit of iron and discharged me the next day, saying they really did not know why I was so severely anemic.** (doctors notes) Dr. Burns stated that for some reason, my body is not replenishing my blood as quickly as it should be. Doctor Burns recommended a visit to the gynecologist and a colonoscopy within six months. He also told me not to come back until I had health insurance.** (letter from doc ) He gave me a prescription for iron pills and told me to come back in a month. I have still not gone to the gyn. or anywhere for a colonoscopy, because I have no way to pay for it. As of now, all I can do for my anemia is take iron supplements. I still suffer from anemia, and the cause is still undiagnosed.
The National Institutes of health reports that there are over 200 types of anemia, and that undiagnosed causes of anemia can be life threatening.** My anemia affects my everyday life. When I am at my worst, I sleep about 18 hours a day. I have difficulty breathing if I have to walk, even if just one block. I cannot climb a flight of stairs without stopping to rest. After my transfusion, these symptoms were lessened, but as time has passed, these same symptoms are starting to re-appear. My shortness of breath is getting worse, especially walking up stairs. I have recently started having heart palpitations, some of which have woken me up in the middle of the night, feeling like a fist just pounded me in the chest. My anemia has also weakened my immune system. Back in 2006, the doctors said my travelers’ diarrhea was worse because of my immune system.
Living in Pakistan will leave me venerable to many infectious diseases. Based on the CIA World Fact Book, the degree of risk of contracting a major infectious disease is high. Diseases such as bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, typhoid fever, dengue fever, malaria and cutaneous leishmaniasis are all common to the region.** (attach report) Although there is a hospital in Gujrat, I doubt that I would receive the same level of care as from a hospital in the U.S. **(proof??)(how do I prove this?) The nearest large city with better hospitals would be in Islamabad, a two hour drive from Gujrat. If I am in need of another transfusion, I will be at risk due to the sub-standard care available.
My second health issue is a recurring tooth infection that is still untreated. In October ,2005, half of my face swelled from a tooth infection. I did go to the dentist, who prescribed antibiotics for the infection. He told me I needed a route canal as soon as possible. As of today, I have not been able to get this done, again from lack of insurance and lack of funds to have the treatment done, around $1,500.00. **(proof?) Since October,2005, I have had three more incidences of various parts of my face swelling, two of those occurring since November,2007.) My understanding of this situation is that the infection could spread to the bone, which will be a bigger problem, and if the infection spreads to my bloodstream, it could be fatal.**(letter from dentist)
I need the safety of having my husband home with me. Because of my health , I should not be living alone. If my husband were allowed to return to the United States, my situation could be alleviated. If he was working here, it would go a long way in helping with the ability to get, and more importantly, keep health insurance. Any health insurance I would get would exempt treatment of my pre-existing condition for two years , further delaying identifying the type and cause of my anemia. Also, I would feel better about my condition if I were not alone and wondering what I will do if I have to get another emergency transfusion?
I am caught in a vicious circle, being self employed and having no health insurance is not a good. position to be in. I have to work to pay my bills and hopefully be able to get the health insurance, but there are many days that I do not go to work, because I physically can’t.
Financial Considerations
I attended college at The Maryland Institute, College of Art. I married at age 19, and did not work until the last couple of years of my first marriage. We were married for 23 years. I have no formal training in any field other than art. During the last 3 years of my marriage, I found employment at a decorative painting studio in Baltimore. My starting salary was $8/hr., when I left, it was $15/hr.
Because I knew I would not be able to maintain my mortgage payments after my pending divorce, on $15/hr., I decided I had no choice but to start my own business. Because of my divorce, I have a great amount of debt related to the division of our assets. Maryland divides assets and debt 50/50, regardless of how much income each makes. I did not get COBRA insurance, I did not get alimony. I had to buy out his part of our home , I had to be responsible for a portion of all three of our daughters’ college expenses. I also gave up any rights to his 401k and pension. I only provide this information to illustrate how I am this position today.
Since my divorce, I have worked very hard to establish my company in the Baltimore-Washington area. I am the sole proprietor of Elite Artisans Decorative Painting. I am also the only employee of the company. My company is in its sixth year of business. My business is geared towards high end homeowners with a lot of discretionary income. However, I also have many high profile corporate clients such as The Smithsonian Institution, The Eisenhower Executive Building, where, as you know, houses the private offices of our government officials , and The B.F. Saul Co., the second largest employer in D.C. and owner of the historic Hay Adams Hotel and The Kennedy Warren, in D.C. I know that my business would not transfer well to this area of the world where the per capita income is $2,600.00/yr . **(CIA Factsheet) I doubt seriously that I would be able to work on high profile government buildings. Aside from that, women are not encouraged to work in Pakistan.
If we decide that I will not move to Gujrat and choose to try to maintain our marriage apart, the financial burden on me would be extreme. The success of my business relies solely on my ability to complete work in a timely manner and at the same time generate new sales by advertising and meeting with potential clients. I have no help with this. It is not unusual for a potential job to take several weeks of planning from the first contact with a potential client, the sampling process and its many revisions to the final application of the finish. My business relies heavily on face to face contact with the client and my access to the space to be worked on. My work cannot be completed from a distant location, cannot be typed into a computer. The potential loss of income to my business if I travel to Gujrat even once or twice a year would be substantial.
Throw into the mix that my husband has not worked since his return to Pakistan , again I say that being the sole breadwinner of the family, regular travel to Gujrat would prove to be a huge disruption to my ability to generate income. Since my husband is unemployed, he is unable to provide me with any financial support. The unemployment rate in Pakistan according to the CIA Factsheet is 6.5% with substantial underemployment (2006 est.) To explain matters, my husband does come from a wealthy family. The family owned business is currently being run by his brother, since his fathers’ passing. There are two factors impeding my husband from employment. Since he cashed in his part of the family wealth to illegally come to the US, he cannot tap into the remaining portion. Basically, he used his inheritance up. When he left Pakistan, he essentially gave up his rights to the business. And since his brother has two wives and many children, he will not be sharing the wealth with my husband. Because of the status my husbands’ family has, nobody in the town would even believe it necessary for him to seek other employment. I only explain this to illustrate why even my husband cannot financially help me from Pakistan. However, if he were here with me, there is no doubt in my mind that we would be on the road to financial security. He is extremely intelligent and he has a great respect for what I do for a living.
At the time of writing this letter, I am behind on several of my bills. I first fell behind on my bills in April, 2006, relating to my illness. I worked very little in the months following my hospitalization. I fell behind again when I traveled to Pakistan in August, 2007. There are days when I cannot go to work because I am waiting on a check and have no gas to get to work.**(attach Credit report) My debts are:
1. Mortgage-------------------$57,000
2. HELOC loan----------------14,300
3. Student loans----------------19,000
4. IRS----------------------------13,000
5. Credit cards--------------------4,500
6. State of MD-------------------1,600
7. Hospital judgement----------1,000
8. Lawyer---------------------------600
9. Family--------------------------8,500
I have been routinely late in the past year alone on the following…………………………………………………..
And, not because I want to be, I try to pay the mortgage no matter what, but I was still late on that payment………………….
A two income household would not only allow me to repair my ailing financial troubles **(see Credit report), but I am confident that we could secure health insurance and ultimately, our future, by establishing a retirement account.
If I were forced to sell my home today and move to Pakistan, I would be able to pay off my financial obligations. Estimating that I were left with about $50,000, that would still be precious little to begin a new life in Gujrat with my husband.**( appraisal??) And again, I would most likely not be able to work in Gujrat, so I would not be able to contribute to the family income.
Travel
The impact on me and my business of travel to Gujrat starts with the cost of the ticket, ranging from about $1,200.00 to about $2,000.00 depending on the time of year. However, that impact is exacerbated by the loss of income while I am away, the loss of generating new business in my absence, and the burden of making “extra” money to even make the trip. I still have to pay bills while I am gone. I would also need at least $1,000.00 on me for the trip. There is no work waiting for me when I get home. It would take a couple of months to financially recover from one trip.
Family
I was born in Chicago and have lived in the U.S. my entire life. I’ve lived in Maryland in the same house now for 24 years. I have three grown children .All of my children are girls, the oldest is married, the second one engaged. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t speak to at least one of them. They all live outside of Maryland, living in Massachusetts, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Even though each one supports my second marriage, they have each told me that for their own safety, they will not visit me if I move to Gujrat. I also have six brothers and sisters. Even though I don’t see too much of two of my brothers, I am very close to my two sisters and their children. They, too, have told me they will not visit me there. Moving to Gujrat would certainly be a major change in my life and in theirs. They get extremely worried when I talk of planning a trip there. They are concerned for my safety, especially considering the recent events of The Red Mosque killings, Bhutto s’ death and the bombing of that restaurant in Islamabad that caters to foreigners.**(News reports)
If I am forced to move to Gujrat, I will not be able to afford regular travel to the U.S. to see my kids ,my four brothers,my two sisters, or my nieces and nephew.
Special Factors
I have visited Pakistan twice, and it is not a pleasant place. Whether we decide that I would move to Pakistan, or travel when possible, I would endure prejudice just because I am American. I am not Muslim. My skin is whiter than white and my eyes are bright blue, even in traditional dress, I am easily identified as an outsider.
The culture is vastly different than Maryland. I would most likely have to be escorted everywhere, for I know very little Punjabi and no Urdu On my first visit, I was the victim of several incidences of price gouging. His sisters took me shopping and upon entering the shops, prices automatically went up. When we went to the mountain area of Muree, the one night in a hotel skyrocketed when the parking lot attendants radioed to the front desk that there was an American in the car. One night in a third rate hotel with dirty sheets that I refused to sleep on cost my husband eight hundred American dollars!!! When my husbands nephew drove me to the airport at one in the morning the cop that stopped us for speeding demanded more money to let us go when he saw an American in the car. The bottom line is, being an American living in Gujrat will cost me and my family more in every aspect of our lives.
I have concern over the state of the most basic of services, such as access to clean water, the open sewage system, the trash dumped at the end of every street. The electrical power and gas for cooking is routinely shut off, sometimes for an hour or more several times in a 24 hour period. On my first visit I was struck by the air thick with pollution from the motorcycles. My throat burned from breathing the air. If we decided that I would live in Gujrat, I would I have to deal with conditions that I am not used to. I have already cited the CIA Factsheet on health conditions in Pakistan. If we decided that I would stay in the U.S., I may not have to deal with these conditions very often, but I will have the added stress of worrying about my husbands’ health. He has developed a chronic cough from the irritants in the air.
I am also extremely concerned about my safety, especially when in the cities of Lahore and Islamabad, where the airports are. I feel that when I am traveling, the most dangerous parts of my trip are the travel between the airports and his home. The suicide bombers have been targeting the police, military and government. Well, if I am going to or from the embassy or the airport, I am not going to be safe.CNN has reported that the incidence of suicide bombers is on the rise in Pakistan, with 30 reported in the last five months. **(attach news reports) The United States Department of State has issued travel warnings for several months now advising “against non-essential travel to Pakistan in light of the threat of terrorist activity.”**( attach warning) Lately, it seems that there is some report on the evening news daily of the instability of the Musharraf government and growing concerns over the security of the countries nuclear weapons.
Summary and Conclusion
I will endure extreme hardship if my waiver request is denied. If I have to endure the ten year ban of my husband, I will have little chance of being able to keep up my current vicious circle of : work hard to pay bills >>can’t work due to illness or travel>>can’t pay bills on time>>falling behind>>still can’t pay for health insurance>>feeling better, better work harder to catch up>>almost caught up>>go to Pakistan>>fall behind again. You get the picture.
My health will not improve on its own. I need access to medical care. If I have to endure the ten year ban, I will most likely not be able to remedy my situation before it gets really bad. One more trip to the ER will put me in l disaster. I need my husband home with me to provide additional income and to make it possible for me to improve my health situation. I need the stability of a second income to procure and maintain health care coverage . If he is not granted the waiver, I fear that my health is going to continue to take a back seat to trying to keep up with my bills. The longer that I am unable to identify the cause of my anemia, the more danger I am in.
If I have to endure the ten year ban, my business will suffer from the lack of help from my husband and the stress of recovery from travel to Pakistan. There is no one to run my business in my absence and no way for me to generate income from overseas.
On a purely emotional level, I would implore you to have compassion on me. I was married 23 years to a man that, though he did not treat me badly, was nonetheless not truly my companion. Not many of us get a second chance at happiness in our lives and I am fortunate to have a found a person that not only respects me, accepts me, but one that truly makes me happy.
:shy:
Health
In May of 2006, I was told by a doctor to go straight to the emergency room from their office, where I was being seen for a different condition..I was diagnosed with severe anemia. ** (show paperwork) My hemoglobin count was 7.3,( normal range is between 12 and 16), and my hemocrit count was 25.1, ( normal range is between 36.0 and 48.0). As the doctor explained it to me, basically half of my blood was gone. I received a partial transfusion in the ER.
Ten days after the first incident, I was admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital. They ran several tests including a cat scan and x-rays, administered a unit of iron and discharged me the next day, saying they really did not know why I was so severely anemic.** (doctors notes) Dr. Burns stated that for some reason, my body is not replenishing my blood as quickly as it should be. Doctor Burns recommended a visit to the gynecologist and a colonoscopy within six months. He also told me not to come back until I had health insurance.** (letter from doc ) He gave me a prescription for iron pills and told me to come back in a month. I have still not gone to the gyn. or anywhere for a colonoscopy, because I have no way to pay for it. As of now, all I can do for my anemia is take iron supplements. I still suffer from anemia, and the cause is still undiagnosed.
The National Institutes of health reports that there are over 200 types of anemia, and that undiagnosed causes of anemia can be life threatening.** My anemia affects my everyday life. When I am at my worst, I sleep about 18 hours a day. I have difficulty breathing if I have to walk, even if just one block. I cannot climb a flight of stairs without stopping to rest. After my transfusion, these symptoms were lessened, but as time has passed, these same symptoms are starting to re-appear. My shortness of breath is getting worse, especially walking up stairs. I have recently started having heart palpitations, some of which have woken me up in the middle of the night, feeling like a fist just pounded me in the chest. My anemia has also weakened my immune system. Back in 2006, the doctors said my travelers’ diarrhea was worse because of my immune system.
Living in Pakistan will leave me venerable to many infectious diseases. Based on the CIA World Fact Book, the degree of risk of contracting a major infectious disease is high. Diseases such as bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, typhoid fever, dengue fever, malaria and cutaneous leishmaniasis are all common to the region.** (attach report) Although there is a hospital in Gujrat, I doubt that I would receive the same level of care as from a hospital in the U.S. **(proof??)(how do I prove this?) The nearest large city with better hospitals would be in Islamabad, a two hour drive from Gujrat. If I am in need of another transfusion, I will be at risk due to the sub-standard care available.
My second health issue is a recurring tooth infection that is still untreated. In October ,2005, half of my face swelled from a tooth infection. I did go to the dentist, who prescribed antibiotics for the infection. He told me I needed a route canal as soon as possible. As of today, I have not been able to get this done, again from lack of insurance and lack of funds to have the treatment done, around $1,500.00. **(proof?) Since October,2005, I have had three more incidences of various parts of my face swelling, two of those occurring since November,2007.) My understanding of this situation is that the infection could spread to the bone, which will be a bigger problem, and if the infection spreads to my bloodstream, it could be fatal.**(letter from dentist)
I need the safety of having my husband home with me. Because of my health , I should not be living alone. If my husband were allowed to return to the United States, my situation could be alleviated. If he was working here, it would go a long way in helping with the ability to get, and more importantly, keep health insurance. Any health insurance I would get would exempt treatment of my pre-existing condition for two years , further delaying identifying the type and cause of my anemia. Also, I would feel better about my condition if I were not alone and wondering what I will do if I have to get another emergency transfusion?
I am caught in a vicious circle, being self employed and having no health insurance is not a good. position to be in. I have to work to pay my bills and hopefully be able to get the health insurance, but there are many days that I do not go to work, because I physically can’t.
Financial Considerations
I attended college at The Maryland Institute, College of Art. I married at age 19, and did not work until the last couple of years of my first marriage. We were married for 23 years. I have no formal training in any field other than art. During the last 3 years of my marriage, I found employment at a decorative painting studio in Baltimore. My starting salary was $8/hr., when I left, it was $15/hr.
Because I knew I would not be able to maintain my mortgage payments after my pending divorce, on $15/hr., I decided I had no choice but to start my own business. Because of my divorce, I have a great amount of debt related to the division of our assets. Maryland divides assets and debt 50/50, regardless of how much income each makes. I did not get COBRA insurance, I did not get alimony. I had to buy out his part of our home , I had to be responsible for a portion of all three of our daughters’ college expenses. I also gave up any rights to his 401k and pension. I only provide this information to illustrate how I am this position today.
Since my divorce, I have worked very hard to establish my company in the Baltimore-Washington area. I am the sole proprietor of Elite Artisans Decorative Painting. I am also the only employee of the company. My company is in its sixth year of business. My business is geared towards high end homeowners with a lot of discretionary income. However, I also have many high profile corporate clients such as The Smithsonian Institution, The Eisenhower Executive Building, where, as you know, houses the private offices of our government officials , and The B.F. Saul Co., the second largest employer in D.C. and owner of the historic Hay Adams Hotel and The Kennedy Warren, in D.C. I know that my business would not transfer well to this area of the world where the per capita income is $2,600.00/yr . **(CIA Factsheet) I doubt seriously that I would be able to work on high profile government buildings. Aside from that, women are not encouraged to work in Pakistan.
If we decide that I will not move to Gujrat and choose to try to maintain our marriage apart, the financial burden on me would be extreme. The success of my business relies solely on my ability to complete work in a timely manner and at the same time generate new sales by advertising and meeting with potential clients. I have no help with this. It is not unusual for a potential job to take several weeks of planning from the first contact with a potential client, the sampling process and its many revisions to the final application of the finish. My business relies heavily on face to face contact with the client and my access to the space to be worked on. My work cannot be completed from a distant location, cannot be typed into a computer. The potential loss of income to my business if I travel to Gujrat even once or twice a year would be substantial.
Throw into the mix that my husband has not worked since his return to Pakistan , again I say that being the sole breadwinner of the family, regular travel to Gujrat would prove to be a huge disruption to my ability to generate income. Since my husband is unemployed, he is unable to provide me with any financial support. The unemployment rate in Pakistan according to the CIA Factsheet is 6.5% with substantial underemployment (2006 est.) To explain matters, my husband does come from a wealthy family. The family owned business is currently being run by his brother, since his fathers’ passing. There are two factors impeding my husband from employment. Since he cashed in his part of the family wealth to illegally come to the US, he cannot tap into the remaining portion. Basically, he used his inheritance up. When he left Pakistan, he essentially gave up his rights to the business. And since his brother has two wives and many children, he will not be sharing the wealth with my husband. Because of the status my husbands’ family has, nobody in the town would even believe it necessary for him to seek other employment. I only explain this to illustrate why even my husband cannot financially help me from Pakistan. However, if he were here with me, there is no doubt in my mind that we would be on the road to financial security. He is extremely intelligent and he has a great respect for what I do for a living.
At the time of writing this letter, I am behind on several of my bills. I first fell behind on my bills in April, 2006, relating to my illness. I worked very little in the months following my hospitalization. I fell behind again when I traveled to Pakistan in August, 2007. There are days when I cannot go to work because I am waiting on a check and have no gas to get to work.**(attach Credit report) My debts are:
1. Mortgage-------------------$57,000
2. HELOC loan----------------14,300
3. Student loans----------------19,000
4. IRS----------------------------13,000
5. Credit cards--------------------4,500
6. State of MD-------------------1,600
7. Hospital judgement----------1,000
8. Lawyer---------------------------600
9. Family--------------------------8,500
I have been routinely late in the past year alone on the following…………………………………………………..
And, not because I want to be, I try to pay the mortgage no matter what, but I was still late on that payment………………….
A two income household would not only allow me to repair my ailing financial troubles **(see Credit report), but I am confident that we could secure health insurance and ultimately, our future, by establishing a retirement account.
If I were forced to sell my home today and move to Pakistan, I would be able to pay off my financial obligations. Estimating that I were left with about $50,000, that would still be precious little to begin a new life in Gujrat with my husband.**( appraisal??) And again, I would most likely not be able to work in Gujrat, so I would not be able to contribute to the family income.
Travel
The impact on me and my business of travel to Gujrat starts with the cost of the ticket, ranging from about $1,200.00 to about $2,000.00 depending on the time of year. However, that impact is exacerbated by the loss of income while I am away, the loss of generating new business in my absence, and the burden of making “extra” money to even make the trip. I still have to pay bills while I am gone. I would also need at least $1,000.00 on me for the trip. There is no work waiting for me when I get home. It would take a couple of months to financially recover from one trip.
Family
I was born in Chicago and have lived in the U.S. my entire life. I’ve lived in Maryland in the same house now for 24 years. I have three grown children .All of my children are girls, the oldest is married, the second one engaged. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t speak to at least one of them. They all live outside of Maryland, living in Massachusetts, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Even though each one supports my second marriage, they have each told me that for their own safety, they will not visit me if I move to Gujrat. I also have six brothers and sisters. Even though I don’t see too much of two of my brothers, I am very close to my two sisters and their children. They, too, have told me they will not visit me there. Moving to Gujrat would certainly be a major change in my life and in theirs. They get extremely worried when I talk of planning a trip there. They are concerned for my safety, especially considering the recent events of The Red Mosque killings, Bhutto s’ death and the bombing of that restaurant in Islamabad that caters to foreigners.**(News reports)
If I am forced to move to Gujrat, I will not be able to afford regular travel to the U.S. to see my kids ,my four brothers,my two sisters, or my nieces and nephew.
Special Factors
I have visited Pakistan twice, and it is not a pleasant place. Whether we decide that I would move to Pakistan, or travel when possible, I would endure prejudice just because I am American. I am not Muslim. My skin is whiter than white and my eyes are bright blue, even in traditional dress, I am easily identified as an outsider.
The culture is vastly different than Maryland. I would most likely have to be escorted everywhere, for I know very little Punjabi and no Urdu On my first visit, I was the victim of several incidences of price gouging. His sisters took me shopping and upon entering the shops, prices automatically went up. When we went to the mountain area of Muree, the one night in a hotel skyrocketed when the parking lot attendants radioed to the front desk that there was an American in the car. One night in a third rate hotel with dirty sheets that I refused to sleep on cost my husband eight hundred American dollars!!! When my husbands nephew drove me to the airport at one in the morning the cop that stopped us for speeding demanded more money to let us go when he saw an American in the car. The bottom line is, being an American living in Gujrat will cost me and my family more in every aspect of our lives.
I have concern over the state of the most basic of services, such as access to clean water, the open sewage system, the trash dumped at the end of every street. The electrical power and gas for cooking is routinely shut off, sometimes for an hour or more several times in a 24 hour period. On my first visit I was struck by the air thick with pollution from the motorcycles. My throat burned from breathing the air. If we decided that I would live in Gujrat, I would I have to deal with conditions that I am not used to. I have already cited the CIA Factsheet on health conditions in Pakistan. If we decided that I would stay in the U.S., I may not have to deal with these conditions very often, but I will have the added stress of worrying about my husbands’ health. He has developed a chronic cough from the irritants in the air.
I am also extremely concerned about my safety, especially when in the cities of Lahore and Islamabad, where the airports are. I feel that when I am traveling, the most dangerous parts of my trip are the travel between the airports and his home. The suicide bombers have been targeting the police, military and government. Well, if I am going to or from the embassy or the airport, I am not going to be safe.CNN has reported that the incidence of suicide bombers is on the rise in Pakistan, with 30 reported in the last five months. **(attach news reports) The United States Department of State has issued travel warnings for several months now advising “against non-essential travel to Pakistan in light of the threat of terrorist activity.”**( attach warning) Lately, it seems that there is some report on the evening news daily of the instability of the Musharraf government and growing concerns over the security of the countries nuclear weapons.
Summary and Conclusion
I will endure extreme hardship if my waiver request is denied. If I have to endure the ten year ban of my husband, I will have little chance of being able to keep up my current vicious circle of : work hard to pay bills >>can’t work due to illness or travel>>can’t pay bills on time>>falling behind>>still can’t pay for health insurance>>feeling better, better work harder to catch up>>almost caught up>>go to Pakistan>>fall behind again. You get the picture.
My health will not improve on its own. I need access to medical care. If I have to endure the ten year ban, I will most likely not be able to remedy my situation before it gets really bad. One more trip to the ER will put me in l disaster. I need my husband home with me to provide additional income and to make it possible for me to improve my health situation. I need the stability of a second income to procure and maintain health care coverage . If he is not granted the waiver, I fear that my health is going to continue to take a back seat to trying to keep up with my bills. The longer that I am unable to identify the cause of my anemia, the more danger I am in.
If I have to endure the ten year ban, my business will suffer from the lack of help from my husband and the stress of recovery from travel to Pakistan. There is no one to run my business in my absence and no way for me to generate income from overseas.
On a purely emotional level, I would implore you to have compassion on me. I was married 23 years to a man that, though he did not treat me badly, was nonetheless not truly my companion. Not many of us get a second chance at happiness in our lives and I am fortunate to have a found a person that not only respects me, accepts me, but one that truly makes me happy.
:shy: